Mac Poker Sites

If you own a computer that’s manufactured by Apple and runs an OSX operating system, then Mac poker sites are your key to enjoying card games such as Texas Hold’em and Seven-card Stud.

While the modern era of computing has virtually made this a non-issue, I still wanted to create this article in order to answer any lingering questions that might be circulating among the gambling community.

What Defines a Mac Poker Site?

Not to sound flip, but a Mac poker site is any virtual card room that supports a Macintosh computer and/or operating system. These used to be rare due to the dominance of Windows-based systems, and Mac users often encountered sites that simply weren’t compatible with their devices.

This disparity in the marketplace began to change in the late 1990s, however, when Apple co-founder Steve Jobs returned to the company as CEO. Thanks to a series of innovations and the marketing savvy of Jobs, the company enjoyed a major resurgence with products such as iMac, iTunes, iPhone, and the iPod. When sales of Apple-based products shot through the roof, most gaming sites were left with no choice but to take steps to support their technology.

Mac Poker Sites Software vs Windows

Whether you’re playing poker on a Mac or PC, you shouldn’t notice any difference when it comes to the overall look of your chosen card room. Gaming sites aren’t in the habit of providing wildly different experiences for customers based on their operating systems, and this means you can enjoy the same quality gameplay that PC nerds are used to. The experience is especially streamlined when it comes to high traffic sites, so take that into account while searching for the best compatible sites.

Most importantly the recommended site for the best compatibility its BetOnline for its traffic and reputation.

Advantages of Using a Mac to Play Poker on a Site

While the market is becoming more homogenized, Mac and PC owners used to love to argue about the superiority of their chosen operating system. The debates still continue in a more limited capacity, but the overall passion of the rivalry has cooled over the last decade.

For Mac gamblers who want to reignite the feud with acolytes of the almighty Gates, here’s a brief list to get you started. Some of these apply to online poker, while others extend to computer use in general.

Fewer Viruses – You shouldn’t have to worry about a virus on your favorite poker site, but these nasty pieces of malware can pop up anywhere. Mac software generally has less vulnerabilities for hackers to exploit, and the enduring popularity of Windows has led these unethical individuals to focus on their products.

Quality Design – From the circuitry to the outer case, Apple products are built to last much longer than their PC counterparts. I’ve got a friend who’s been using the same computer for a decade, and it’s still going strong without any major problems. How many PC users can say that?

All Computers Made by the Same People – All Mac computers are made by Apple, so there’s a consistent dedication to quality and performance. PCs, on the other hand, are made by a variety of companies that range from excellent to almost criminal.

Apple software is Built into its Hardware – There are no drivers to update or otherwise contend with.

Superior Sleep Mode – It should be a simple matter to put a computer into sleep mode and then wake it back up. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case with a PC. Mac, however, performs like a champ in this area.

Instant Play / Browser-Based Mac Poker Sites

Some Internet poker rooms have reached a compromise when it comes to making their games available for Mac users. Instead of designing a separate set of downloadable content for the OSX operating system, they’ve created a Flash-based option. This allows a player to log in with a password from any computer and play virtual poker hands on browsers such as Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Internet Explorer.

Getting the Proper Mac File

If you’re downloading software for a poker room, you want to make sure you’re getting the right file for your system. Here’s a simple way to remember it: a .exe file is for Windows, while a .dmg file is for Macintosh.

Access to Player Pool

Assuming that a poker room accepts both Mac and PC customers, you won’t have to worry about the potential player pool when you sign up. Even if you’re using an Apple device, you’re not going to be tagged and herded off to some dusty corner of the casino. You’ll have access to the same fish (and sharks) that everyone else does, even if they’re using the latest glitch-filled OS from Microsoft.

The Power of Dual-booting

Despite the growing number of sites that support Apple technology, there is always a few that lag behind. This means there’s a small chance that you might encounter a poker room that only supports players with a PC. Luckily, Mac owners do have an option, and it’s known as dual-booting (or multi-booting).

So how does this process work? Basically, the user installs multiple operating systems on a single computer, allowing them to use whichever is best suited for a specific situation. This sometimes requires the help of a custom bootloader such as GNU GRUB or BootX, although those with a basic level of computer knowledge should be able to accomplish the task with the assistance of online instructions.

Conclusion

Once upon a time, finding Mac poker sites wasn’t an easy proposition due to the overwhelming number of Windows-based computers on the market. The playing field has become more level in recent years, however, and the efforts of the late Steve Jobs have resulted in Apple products being sold at a higher volume than ever before. If you are looking for a site to play at its best to fist checkout the different payment methods at your disposal

If you’re an online gambler who owns a Mac and enjoys card games such as Texas Hold’em, almost any poker room should be able to accommodate you. This allows you to forget about annoying compatibility issues and focus on more important matters such as hand strength and chip count.